How to Create a Nostr Account
- Decaputin
- Introduction
- 22 Feb 2026, 05:00
If you are new to Nostr, the first step is simple: create a Nostr identity.
That identity gives you two things: a public key, called npub, and a private key, usually shown as nsec. The npub is the address people can see. The nsec is the secret that proves the address is yours.
For Decaputin, the important part is the npub. A Head can be connected to that public identity. But to control the npub, log in and sign actions, you need the private side too. That is why this guide starts with the boring thing that matters most: keys.
Your npub is public. Your nsec is not.
The easiest path: start with Primal
There are many ways to create a Nostr profile. The easiest first door for most people is Primal.
Primal works on web, iPhone, iPad and Android. It gives you a familiar social app, creates a Nostr identity, includes a Bitcoin Lightning wallet experience for zaps, and can also help you authorize activity in compatible Nostr apps through Remote Login.
That makes it a good first step if you want one tool that lets you see Nostr, use Nostr and come back to Decaputin with an identity ready.
Use the path that matches your device:
| Device | Recommended path |
|---|---|
| iPhone or iPad | Install Primal from the App Store |
| Android, simple path | Install Primal from Google Play |
| Android, signer-first path | Use Amber if you want your private key inside a dedicated signer |
| Desktop browser | Install a browser signer such as Alby, nos2x or Soapbox Signer |
| Android browser, advanced path | Use a browser with extension support only if you know why you need it |
Download and install links
| Tool | Platform | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Primal Web | Web | primal.net/new |
| Primal for iOS | iPhone, iPad | App Store |
| Primal for Android | Android | Google Play |
| nstart.me | Web | nstart.me |
| Amber | Android signer | nostrapps.com/amber |
| Amber on F-Droid | Android signer | F-Droid |
| Amber source | Android signer | GitHub |
| Alby Extension | Desktop browser | getalby.com |
| Alby on Chrome | Chrome / Brave | Chrome Web Store |
| Alby on Firefox | Firefox | Firefox Add-ons |
| nos2x | Chrome / Brave | Chrome Web Store |
| nos2x source | Browser extension | GitHub |
| Soapbox Signer | Chrome / Brave | Chrome Web Store |
| Soapbox Signer for Firefox | Firefox | Firefox Add-ons |
| Microsoft Edge for Android | Android browser with extensions | Google Play |
| Microsoft Edge Canary | Android experimental browser | Google Play |
| Kiwi Browser source | Android legacy browser | GitHub |
You do not need to install everything. For most new users, start with Primal. Add a signer later if your device or workflow needs one.
Step 1 — Create your profile in Primal
Open Primal and follow the onboarding flow.
You will choose a display name and set up your profile. This part feels like creating a normal social account, but the thing underneath is different. Primal is not just giving you a username in its own database. It is helping you create a Nostr identity.
Once the account exists, your identity is not supposed to belong to Primal. Primal is the first app you used. The identity is the key.
Step 2 — Find your npub
After creating the profile, find your public key.
In Nostr apps this is usually shown as an npub. It starts with npub1....
Your npub is safe to share. Other people can use it to find you, follow you or verify that something belongs to your Nostr identity. Decaputin can use it to connect a Head to you.
You can think of the npub as your public address on Nostr. It is not the secret. It is the part meant to be seen.
Step 3 — Understand your nsec before touching it
Your private key is usually shown as an nsec. It starts with nsec1....
This is the dangerous one.
The nsec is not a password in the normal sense. You cannot ask Decaputin, Primal or a relay to reset it for you. Whoever has your nsec can sign as you. If you lose it, you may lose access to the identity.
Before copying, exporting or saving your nsec, slow down. This is the part where people make expensive mistakes.
Step 4 — Back up your private key
Back up your private key before you depend on the account.
Good options:
- write it down and store it somewhere safe;
- save it in a password manager you trust;
- keep an offline backup.
Bad options:
- screenshots;
- cloud photo albums;
- sending it to yourself in chat;
- pasting it into random websites;
- storing it in a note called “my nostr key”.
No legitimate site should need you to paste your nsec directly into a normal form. A safer app asks your signer to approve a signature. It does not ask to see the secret.
Step 5 — Come back to Decaputin and log in
After creating your Nostr identity, return to Decaputin.
When the login modal asks you to log in with Nostr, use one of the available methods. On desktop, a browser extension signer is often the cleanest option. On Android, a signer app like Amber can keep your private key on the phone while other apps ask for permission to sign.
The goal is always the same: Decaputin should receive your public key and signed confirmations, not your private key.
iPhone and iPad path: Primal
For iPhone and iPad users, the recommended path is Primal.
Install Primal from the App Store, create your profile, save your keys, and use the app to understand how Nostr feels as a social network. Primal also includes a built-in wallet experience and Remote Login support, so it is a good first tool before you start testing other Nostr apps.
The mobile browser-extension route is not the right path for iPhone and iPad. Use Primal.
After that, come back to Decaputin and log in with your Nostr identity.
Android path: Primal or Amber
On Android you have two good paths.
The easiest path is Primal. Install it from Google Play, create your profile, save your keys and use it to start exploring Nostr.
The more key-focused path is Amber. Amber is a dedicated Android signer. Its job is to hold your private key so other Android apps and web apps can ask it to sign without touching your nsec directly.
Amber can also be used to create or manage a Nostr identity. This is a good direction if you already know that you want the key to live in a dedicated signer rather than inside a social client.
Android browser path: extensions on mobile
There is also a more advanced Android route: using a mobile browser that supports extensions, then installing a Nostr browser signer.
This can make the phone behave more like a desktop browser. In theory, Decaputin asks the browser for your public key or a signature, the extension handles the request, and your private key stays inside the signer.
But this is not the first path I would recommend to a new user.
The historical example is Kiwi Browser, because it supported Chrome extensions on Android. Kiwi is not an iPhone path, and it is not an F-Droid app. The official Kiwi project has also been archived, so it should be treated as a legacy option, not the clean beginner choice.
The modern direction is Microsoft Edge for Android or Edge Canary, which has been receiving mobile extension support. This may become useful for Nostr browser signers, but mobile extensions can still be less predictable than desktop extensions.
So the practical advice is simple:
| Situation | Better choice |
|---|---|
| You are new and on iPhone | Primal |
| You are new and on Android | Primal |
| You are on Android and want a dedicated key app | Amber |
| You are on desktop | Alby, nos2x or Soapbox Signer |
| You are advanced and want mobile browser extensions | Edge / Edge Canary, or legacy Kiwi with caution |
For Decaputin, the safe beginner route is still Primal or Amber. Use mobile browser extensions only if you already understand what a signer is and why you want that setup.
Desktop path: browser extensions
On desktop, Decaputin works best with a Nostr browser extension.
These extensions expose a standard browser object called window.nostr. That lets a website ask for your public key or request a signature. The extension shows you the request, you approve it, and the website gets the signed result.
This is the same idea as a wallet popup, but for Nostr identity.
Good options include:
- Alby, if you want Bitcoin, Lightning and Nostr tools together;
- nos2x, if you want a minimal Nostr signer;
- Soapbox Signer, if you want another NIP-07 signer option.
What is a signer?
A signer is an app or extension that holds your private key and signs actions for other apps.
This matters because Nostr apps often need proof that you control your identity. They do not need to see your nsec. They need a signature.
A signer is the tool that answers: “Yes, this user approved this action.”
| Signer option | Platform | What it is good for |
|---|---|---|
| Primal | Web, iOS, Android | Easy first Nostr identity, social app, wallet experience and Remote Login support |
| Amber | Android | Dedicated Android signer that keeps your nsec in one app |
| Alby | Desktop browser extension | Bitcoin and Nostr companion for web login, Lightning and signing |
| nos2x | Desktop browser extension | Simple Nostr signer extension for web apps |
| Soapbox Signer | Desktop browser extension | NIP-07 signer extension for browser-based Nostr apps |
You do not need all of them. Start simple. Use Primal to create the identity. Then, when you understand the key model, choose the signer setup that fits your device.
nstart.me: guided setup
Another beginner option is nstart.me.
It is a guided web wizard for creating and backing up a Nostr account. It can be useful if you want the process explained step by step without starting inside a full social app.
For most Decaputin users, Primal is still the easiest first door. But nstart.me is a good alternative if you want a slower setup flow focused on the account itself.
Common mistakes
Most Nostr problems begin with one of these mistakes:
| Mistake | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Losing the nsec | There is no normal password recovery |
| Sharing the nsec | Whoever has it can act as you |
| Thinking Primal owns the account | Primal is an app; the identity is the key |
| Creating many accounts by accident | Each new key pair is a different identity |
| Pasting the nsec into random sites | A signer is safer than exposing the secret |
| Installing old mobile browsers casually | Browser security matters when keys are involved |
If you remember only one thing, remember this: your npub is public, your nsec is not.
Before you use Decaputin
Before claiming or buying a Head, make sure you can do three things:
- open your Nostr app or signer;
- find your npub;
- approve a signature request.
You will also need a Lightning wallet to pay invoices in sats. That is a separate guide, because the wallet part deserves its own clean explanation.
For now, the Nostr part is enough: create the identity, protect the private key, and come back with an npub you control.
Next guides
- How to pay with a Lightning wallet
- How Decaputin claims, ownership and signatures work
- A Beginner’s Guide to the Nostr Protocol
